One of my favorite things about attending music conferences and festivals are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from this year’s Folk Alliance Conference. It’s my first time at Folk Alliance, I was wondering if it was because my background is tainted by that rock and […]
Folk Alliance 2018 – Shawn’s Picks
With over 3000 showcases in 4 nights, and perhaps an average of 5 gigs/musician, it was of course impossible to see the roughly 600 acts that works out from that math. Â So when I say these were my favorites, it’s from a relatively small sampling. Â Nonetheless, I saw some great music. Â What’s Old Is New […]
Folk Alliance 2018 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 2
Ruby BootsNashville by way of Australia singer-songwriter Ruby Boots was celebrating the release of her just released Bloodshot Records debut. She brought together an infectious enthusiasm with stellar songs, mostly about relationships, that matched catchy melodies with lyrical fervor. Una and Bob WalkenhorstThere aren’t many father-daughter duos in music. Then again, there aren’t many songwriters […]
Song Premiere: Wolfe Jackson – Photographs
Born and raised in the United Kingdom, singer-songwriter Wolfe Jackson moved to New York a few years ago to hone his craft and absorb the music scene, and then out to Los Angeles. Â His soon-to-be-released second record, Nobody Knows Me (Better Than You) has several good, gritty rock-and-roll tunes that show me he found the […]
Folk Alliance 2018 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 1
The Accidentals I first saw this young trio from Michigan at Folk Alliance a few years ago. They were certainly talented then but several more years of writing and performing have propelled them into another musical stratosphere. I caught them several times — at least once a day — during the course of the conference, […]
Folk Alliance International – The Best Music Festival You’ve Never Heard About
With slightly less than 4000 attendees, the annual gathering of Folk Alliance International is still small enough to be held in a hotel. Â It doesn’t have a stadium-draw headliner, but other than that and lack of a campground, there’s everything else you’d want in a music festival. Â And most of it is done better than […]
Monday Morning Video – Jack Ingram and the Tin Man
I recently saw Jack Ingram perform a special show and he closed the set with this brilliant piece of songwriting. Co-written with Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall, Lambert’s recording of “Tin Man” was deservedly nominated for song of the year by the Country Music Association in 2017.
Waterloo Sunset – AmericanaFest UK 2018
If you’ve ever traveled to another country, you know the quiz well. Border control agent: “So, what brings you to (insert country name here)?†What you may be less familiar with is the variety of quizzical expressions you get from those border control agents when you’re traveling to England and your answer is: “an Americana […]
Monday Morning Video – Todd Snider Can’t Complain
It’s been awhile since we’ve shared some Todd Snider music. About time we rectify that, don’t you think? Here’s the enlightened “Can’t Complain.” We’re all waiting in the dugout Thinking we should pitch How you gonna throw a shutout If all you do is bitch
I’m With Her – See You Around
The term “folk supergroup” seems a little like an oxymoron.  Calling anyone in the folk music business a superstar is probably pushing it.  Having said that, there aren’t many musicians in this genre that can draw crowds like Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, or Aoife O’Donovan pull in individually.  So if they do something together, yeah, I […]